Beautiful castles to visit on your next trip to Italy

Italy has many precious monuments and architectural aesthetics, but the castle is certainly one of the most exciting in terms of charm. Sit in majestic mountains, immerse yourself in fairytale landscapes, be surrounded by the sea, castles and fortresses tell an old story on the border between reality and legend.

The fortress is very similar to a castle and is under construction with a fairly thick wall and tower. In general, they are in highly thought-provoking villages and historical centers, places that remind us of images of princesses, knights and battles. Below is a list of some of the most fascinating ones.

Monteriggioni Fortress, Tuscany

Thanks to its majesty and grandeur, the Monteriggioni Fortress in the Province of Siena has a natural tourism profession. In fact, more than 70,000 visitors each year come to admire the famous Tuscan castle, which shows all of its splendor.

It is no coincidence that one of the most prominent tourists from Florence was impressed and dedicated some poems to his most famous work. We are talking about Dante, who was inspired by Monteriggioni for the huge equipment in the abyss of Malebolge in Dante’s hell.

Rocca Calascio, Abruzzo

Rocka di Caracio in the Province of L’Aquila is located at 1460 meters in Gran Sasso National Park and Monti della Laga National Park. Impressive medieval architecture, all made of white stone, is one of the tallest in Italy. Nestled in the mountains, it overlooks an ancient, now uninhabited village. Its undoubted charm is perfect for some movies, including the unforgettable “Ladyhawke” and “The Name of the Rose,” as well as the latest “American” with George Clooney. increase.

Aragonese Castle, Ischia Island, Amalfi Coast

Standing on an islet, a masonry bridge connects to the ancient Borgodisersa (now known as Ischiaponte). Thanks to Alfonso V of Aragon, you can access the castle through a tunnel dug in the rock. Until then, it was only accessible from the sea. The 400-meter-long tunnel was illuminated by a high skylight, which at the time also acted as a “seal,” from which boiling oil, stones, and other substances were thrown into the enemy. In the castle, in 1952, several scenes from the movie The Crimson Pirates were filmed in Burt Lancaster.

Scarige Castle, Lake Garda

It is one of the most complete and well-preserved castles in Italy. This castle in Sirmione is a rare example of a lake fortress. The castle is submerged in the water of Lake Garda on all sides. There is a dock on one side and a majestic fort with a prison cell on the other. The wall and the three main towers have the dovetail battlement. You can access the promenade, reach the top of the promenade, and enjoy the wonders of the dock. The legend of sad love wants the soul of Evengard to roam the castle in search of his Alice on a stormy night.

Castel del Monte, Apulia

It is certainly one of Italy’s most mysterious, a 13th-century building built by Emperor Frederick II near the town of Andria. The octagonal plan, with an octagonal turret on each edge, suggests that Castel del Monte was constructed according to accurate mathematical astronomical geometry and took into account many symbolisms. There are no moats or military architectural elements, no strategic location, there are narrow spiral staircases that are definitely unpleasant for defense and escape functions, there are loopholes that are too narrow to throw arrows, and there are no stables. Its unusual shape also seems to remind us of the shape of the crown.

Castle in the Niccone Valley on the Umbrian / Tuscan border

The 11-mile-long Niccone Valley, where Tuscany and Umbria meet, is named after the Niccone River, a tributary of the Tiber River between Umbertide and Cortona. This long, wide and quiet valley is a famous vacation destination for selected travelers from all over the world. Along the valley, the top of the castle and some “Borghi”, in other words, the fortified villages built during the Middle Ages stand out. These structures underscore the political and military tensions of the Papal States on the expansion of territorial neighbors.

The walls of the northern valley are mainly in Tuscany, from which you can see something remarkable as you continue towards Umbria.Castello di Pierre‘Sit in the most extreme western part of this wide valley. The majestic castle, built on the eastern side of Mount Maestrino, dominates a fertile valley like a majestic eagle. Upon reaching the castle, its height looks almost disproportionate to the modest size of the hill on which the castle is located. There are small churches and old houses around the castle, and some people live quietly with their livestock.

The oldest castle in the whole valley Richard Castle, Dating back to the 9th-10th centuries. Built by the Marquis of Monte in 1202, protected by Perugia and returned to the Holy See in 1479. The castle was owned by Marquis Solbello. Unfortunately, there are only a few ruins left in this castle today.

The Sorbello Castle It looks very different from other castles as it is one of the few castles in the region with the Guelphs tradition. Most of the primitive building dates back to the 10th century, and the south side dates back to the 12th century. In 1600 it underwent a radical change, first becoming a representative palace and then a villa. Its history is closely related to the events of Marquis Bourbon of Monte S. Maria Tiberina. The noble apartments inside the castle are full of magnificent ceilings and chests of drawers. Interesting is the waiting room, decorated with beautiful 17th-century paintings, and the throne, where the regent dealt with justice.

Castle of ratio It is located on a hill about 3 km from the public roads of the Niccone Valley, the municipality of Richard Niccone, on the border between Perugia and Tuscany. In the Middle Ages, the castle was long contested by the lords of Perugia, Florence and Città di Castello for its location and various residential units. There are several luxury villas available for holiday rentals on the castle grounds in private land.

Exit Umbertide, heading towards Città di Castello, along the Tiberina 3 bis, the left side will appear in the middle of the green. Castle of Montalto At that tall tower. In ancient times, the castle was a very strategically important fortress for the defense of Flutter against the expansionist targets of Città di Castello.